Earlier this year, the Division of Epidemiology began a new collaborative program to better address the opioid epidemic. This program called the Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge, and Advocacy (PARCKA) was founded in 2018 and its mission is to promote and provide addiction-related research programs and educational resources across the University of Utah, the local community, the state, and the nation. 

Addictive health disorders have a broad impact on the lives of those who suffer from these conditions, as well as their families and communities. PARCKA investigators are committed to understanding, addressing, and improving access to and quality of healthcare for persons who have addictions or who are otherwise medically vulnerable.

Through an interdisciplinary and interprofessional approach, the PARCKA program is working to advance the field of addiction in the areas of research, clinical care, knowledge, and advocacy.

  • Investigators from the PARKCA program engage in research in a number of different areas that span the continuum of health care, treatment, and services related to addiction. 
  • In terms of clinical care, PARCKA providers offer screening, assessment, and treatment services along a broad continuum of care.
  • The goal of PARKA’s educational activities is to provide new knowledge for the commununity regarding the causes, consequences, and treatments of substance use and addiction.
  • PARCKA’s advocacy work supports prevention efforts to reduce substance use and mitigate the individual, family, and societal harms associated with substance use.

To learn more about the program please visit the PARCKA website.